I’m sure you remember portable CD players if you were born in the ’80s and early ’90s. In fact, The first portable audio player released was the Discman D-50 by Sony in 1984. If you are young enough not to remember the CDs, ask your mom, dad, and uncles. They likely have a CD collection somewhere at home or your grandparents’ home. This article will show you the 7 best CD players to enjoy that old vintage music.
A modern portable CD player could be a great way to remember the good old days or a lovely gift to someone you know who has a great CD collection.
How different is a portable CD player in 2021 from the ’80s & ’90s?
The newer portable CD players are packed with features that will come in handy—some of those we wished to enjoy in the ’80s and ’90s.
- Built-in rechargeable batteries: No need to spend on AA batteries. Furthermore, you can use a power adapter, power bank, or any computer to charge it.
- Bluetooth: You can use your portable CD player with BT headphones, BT speakers, soundbars, some home theater, and even your car.
Some other features used to be included only in high-end portable CD players, like LCD with backlight, FM transmitter, anti-skip, and MP3/WAV support. Those features can be easily found in plenty of modern portable CD players.
How do we choose our runner-ups?
First of all, availability. There are hundreds of portable CD players, but many are unavailable now; others have been discontinued.
Secondly, price. We have set a maximum price of 50 dollars since you can get excellent features in that price range. Of course, you could spend more if you wish, but that product will land in diminishing return territory.
Finally, user reviews with four stars or more. When hundreds or even thousands of people review one product very positively.
One final note, please consider that the following list is from the cheapest (~30 USD) to the most expensive (~50 USD) portable CD player.
The runner ups
#1- Coby Portable Compact Anti-Skip CD Player
The Coby Portable CD player is ideal for listening to your CD collection. Very affordable and will do the job. Don’t expect fancy features since this is the cheapest on the list.
- What we like: Price and straightforward controls.
- What we don’t like: Operates only with two AA batteries.
- ANTI-SKIP PROTECTION. Listen to your favorite CDs with the Coby Portable Compact Anti-Skip CD Player. Equipped with 60-second skip-free protection, this portable unit continues to provide quick recovery from both horizontal and vertical shock.
- EARBUDS INCLUDED. The Coby CD player comes with its own set of stereo earbuds, delivering great quality sound as soon as you plug them in. You can also use any pair of headphones with a standard 3.5mm jack.
- COMPATIBILITY. Operating on two AA batteries (not included), this CD Player will only play original CDs and will not work with CDR-R, CD-RW or MP3 discs. For added convenience, the automatically powers off when the CD is done playing.
- PORTABLE DEVICE. A simple yet functional solution for your portable audio needs, this lightweight, personal music player will allow you to listen to your favorite music, no matter where you go.
- EASY TO USE. When playing your original CDs, you can skip, search, and pause/play your favorite tracks using the easy-to-use, accessible buttons on the front. Additionally, the digital volume control provides precise adjustment of the volume level.
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
#2- GPX PC807BMP3U Portable Personal CD Player
The GPX PC807BMP3U comes with a more youthful design, even sporty. This model adds additional features like using AA batteries or a 12V power adapter and up to 200 seconds of anti-skip protection.
GPX offers a 90-day warranty to cover manufacturing defects and DOA CD players.
- What we like: Rubberized exterior for easy grip and 200-second anti-skip.
- What we don’t like: No built-in battery.
- PORTABLE PERSONAL CD PLAYER: Rubberized coating design. Compatible with most formats such as CD, CD-R / RW, MP3 CD
- OUR BEST ANTI SKIP PROTECTION: 120 second anti-skip protection for CDs, 200 second anti-skip protection for MP3 CDs, With improved anti-skip protection you can be sure that your CDs will last for years to come. Listen to MP3-CD, CD and CD-R/RW discs wherever you go.
- FEATURES : LCD display, Low battery indicator, Analog volume control, Stereo headphone jack, Disc playback: random, repeat, intro, program
- UPDATED; SIMPLE TO POWER: Micro-USB port for DC power, Power your CD player with your regular Micro USB cell phone charger!. DC power input: requires an AC/DC power adapter or 12V car power adapter (both not included) DC battery power: requires 2 AA batteries (not included)
- INCLUDES: One set of stereo ear buds, Users guide, 90-Day Limited Warranty included with purch
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
#3- ARAFUNA CD5188B Portable CD Player
ARAFUNA CD5188B features a modern look of a portable CD player. Furthermore, it includes some exciting features like Bass Boost and a program button to customize the order of CD tracks.
The first portable CD player on the list has a built-in battery. Unfortunately, a rechargeable battery requires buying a separate charger. This product comes with a 1-year warranty and 30 days refund guarantee.
- What we like: Bass boost and 1-year warranty.
- What we don’t like: Rechargeable battery requires a separate charger, not included.
- 【Portable CD Player for Car with Anti-Skip, Shockproof, Anti-scratch Protection】Anti-Skip & Anti-Shock functions are Upgraded. 45 seconds anti-skip protection for CDs, 120 seconds anti-shock protection for MP3 CDs.External Car CD player with High-Quality Clear & Incredible Surround Sound.3.5mm Aux Cable can connect CD MP3 player with speaker or car (all audible devices of 3.5mm audio input).Make sure your car has 3.5mm jack.
- 【 Walkman/Discman CD MP3 Player designed with High Quality & Compact Size】Car cd player is compact, lightweight and easy to be carried or stored. You can enjoy your favorite CDs music perfectly at home, in the car or on the travel, no matter where you go. Compatible with standard CD/CD-R/CD-DA/CD-RW discs, MP3 CD discs and WMA audio file CD discs(Not support DVD or other types). ARAFUNA MP3 player for kids are certified with UL and well tested before sending out.
- 【CD Players Portable, easy to use】On the side of p0rtable cd player, you can see all the buttons and LCD display. There are 4 play back modes, Single Cycle / ALL / INTRO / RND. You can easily adjust the volumes, switch the modes or sound effects. Designed with last memory function, When you open the cover of the CD player or the cd player lose power suddenly, It will resume where you stopped and continue to play.
- 【Multiple convenient power charging ways】Portable cd player for car use, Home or outside can be powered on by 2AA Batteries (not included), Power Bank, PC USB port, Socket, or Laptop via the USB power cable (included) or USB Power Adapter(not included).No need to worry about the power source, it can be charged any time anywhere. (Note: Cannot charge the rechargeable battery，rechargeable battery requires a separate charger)
- 【Great Gift for Friends, Family, Kids】Personal CD Player is perfect gift for students and kids who can learn language, for the elders who can have more entertainment while free time, for expectant mothers who can enjoy music with the coming baby for early education. Product comes with 1 year warranty, 30 days refund guarantee. Please contact us if you have any question, we will reply within 24 hou
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
#4- Naviskauto Rechargeable Portable CD Player
The NAVISKAUTO is compact and still packs a punch with a built-in battery (that can be charged) for up to 12 hours. Backlight design for LED display and buttons, very convenient for use when the sun goes down.
- What we like: Built-in battery, display, and buttons with backlight.
- What we don’t like: Do not support Bluetooth, and warranty is not specified.
- Long Battery Life: Built-in large capacity rechargeable lithium battery, the personal music disc CD player with headphones could support up to 12 hours working time after once full charge; Convenient charge with the included USB charging cable
- Compact & Portable: The portable CD player for adults/kids designed with compact palm size, smooth appearance with LED display (visible in the dark); Supports multiple audio formats, including CD, MP3, WMA format for flexible options (Do not support bluetooth)
- Super Anti-shock: Up to 100 seconds anti-skip protection for CDs and 180 seconds anti-skip protection for MP3 CDs, it is easy to carry wherever you go, let the music come into your daily life
- Practical Accessories: Coming with a 4.9 feet AUX cable with which you can connect the portable CD player to other audible devices such as car speakers to enjoy a better acoustic experience (Please be sure your car has a 3.5mm AUX port)
- User-friendly: Backlight design for LED display and buttons, which can wake up the screen at any time to view the play information easily and convenient to operate; Supports 5 sound effects -- BBS, POP, JAZZ, ROCK, CLASSIC; 5 playback modes -- Play in order, Repeat one song, Repeat all songs, Shuffle, Play first 10 seconds of per tr
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
#5- Hernido Rechargeable Portable CD Player
The Hernido Rechargeable CD Player is a beautiful model with a built-in 2000mAh rechargeable battery and supports up to 20 hours of working time. This CD player is lightweight, with only 0.5 lb.
Few reviews mention that portable CD players had distorted music and low-volume audio. Most customers haven’t had this problem, so it doesn’t appear universal.
- We like 20-hour battery life, an FM transmitter, and 18 month warranty.
- What we don’t like: some reviews report low-volume and distorted music.
- 【IDEAL CAR CD PLAYER】Hernido CD player for Car portable has built-in FM transmitter for wirelessly pair with car radio, totally compatible with all cars. The small personal discman can help you enjoy music or listen to audio books in the car while going to work or traveling. What’s more, an 3.5mm AUX cable was also included to connect the player to the car or other external speakers.
- 【HIGH-QUALITY SOUND】5 Sound effects are support: BBS, Pop, Jazz, Rock and Classic. Immersive Stereo earphones is included, makes you enjoy CD music and audio books anytime and anywhere. Connection of FM transmission is stable and without signal interference , will also brings an excellent auditory feast.
- 【20-HOUR BATTERY LIFE】Hernido CD player has a built-in 2000mAh rechargeable battery, supports up to 20 hours of working time after once full charge. The rechargeable CD player is charged by USB cable, dont need to use AA batteries any more, you wont have to spend a ton on replacing batteries. Whats more, USB powered CD players can reduce environmental pollution caused by disposable batteries.
- 【ANTI-SHOCK & RESUME PLAYBACK】Hernido Walkman CD Player compact with good vibration isolation, non slip, equipped with 60 seconds anti-skip protection for CD discs and 120 seconds anti-skip protection for MP3 discs, Which provides a stable audio experience. And the CD player supports playback from the position where the playback was stopped last time.
- 【LIGHTWEIGHT & USER-FRIENDLY】 Perfect CD Player portable for kids, adults and the elderly to listening to music or audio books. Weights only 0.5 lb, small enough to handheld, put in pocket, or put anywhere in the car. ALL Hernido Products offer 18 months warranty time, any questions about the player, please feel free to contact us, we will offer 24 hours one-to-one servi
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
#6- Oakcastle CD100 Portable CD Player with Bluetooth
The Oakcastle CD100 is the first model on the list that features Bluetooth 5.0, so you can enjoy extensive flexibility with BT headphones, BT speakers, soundbars, etc. This model is very compact, and the button layout is very friendly.
Even though It includes a rechargeable battery, the 12 hours battery life means you must charge it more often.
- What we like: Bluetooth 5.0, compact design, and rechargeable battery
- What we don’t like: 12 hr battery life
- AUDIO ON THE GO: Designed with portability in mind, the CD100 is perfect for the audiophile about town. Bringing a modern touch to a retro classic, the CD100 is ideal for sport and travel.
- 5.0 BLUETOOTH: Enjoy everything from playlists to podcasts with the CD100 wherever you go.
- IN-CAR CONNECTIVITY: Cut a long car journey in half when you play your favourite music. Using the built-in AUX-output the CD100 is well suited to being used as a portable car CD player.
- CHILD-FRIENDLY: The simple ergonomic controls make the CD100 ideal to use in a children’s bedroom. The lock control and anti-shock protection technology ensures any bumps or drops from the eager listener won’t stop music playing.
- FEATURES: Plays disc types CD, CD-R, CD/RW, HDCD, MP3 CD * 233g * USB Charger Included * Headphone Jack ** LCD display with backlight * 12 hr battery life * Shuffle + Repeat * Programmable tracks * Charging Cable included * Earphones & AUX cable included * In-car compatible * plays CD, CD-R, CD/RW, HDCD, MP3 CD * 233g * USB Charged * Headphone Jack * Rechargeable Batter
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
#7- HOTT CD204 Portable CD Player
HOTT was established in 1999 and is committed to providing high-quality service with a 30-day return policy, a 1-year warranty, lifetime support, and a Toll-free call center.
The HOTT CD204 Portable CD Player has a very discrete design with five sound effects and five play modes. It uses HIFI decoding technology for a high bit rate and sampling rate, which could delight the most strict users.
Being the most expensive product on this list is a shame that it doesn’t include a built-in rechargeable battery. Only the display has a backlight and doesn’t include Bluetooth.
- What we like: Lifetime support and support HIFI decoding
- What we don’t like: No built-in battery, no Bluetooth, and 45 seconds anti-skip for CDs.
- PORTABLE CD PLAYER: The Walkman CD player CD204 can be wireless with two AA batteries. / Compatibility: CD, MP3, CD-RW, CD-R and WMA. / 5 Sound Effects: BS, Pop, Jazz, Rock, Classic / 5 Play Modes: Play in order, Repeat a track, Repeat ALL, Play first 10s of file, Play in random order.
- BACKLIGHT LCD DISPLAY: The HOTT CD204 portable CD player is designed with backlight display, can effectively display the status of the CD player, great for nighttime use.
- ANTI-SHOCK PROTECTION: The HOTT CD player for car built-in with Anti- Shock Protection, which provides a stable audio experience when moving with up to 45 seconds anti-skip protection for CD and 120 seconds anti-skip protection for MP3.
- HIGH-QUALITY SOUND: The HOTT CD204 CD player use HIFI decoding technology and latest advanced chip, high bit rate and sampling rate support HIFI lossless sound quality. An accompanying audio cable allows you to connect external speakers to play CDs at any time.
- RELIABLE SERVICE: Over 20 years of professional audio production experience, HOTT is committed to providing high-quality service of 30-days return policy, 1-year warranty and lifetime support, and Toll-free call center. Please purchase with confiden
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Final thoughts
Like any other audio equipment, there is a balance between price, sound quality, and features. All the options in this list will provide you with a great listening experience. Maybe it’s time to dust off your CD collection and listen to the greatest hits of the past.
Barbara boller
Friday 21st of January 2022
the last two personal cd players all broke within weeks. The first had rechargeable battery .... after a few times it would not work ... no recharge .... the second one had batteries .... put player would work and after a few minutes shut off. This player had been working for a month previous to this
Descriptive Audio
Friday 21st of January 2022
Hi Barbara. Which one worked better for you?